“The lack of a specific career path in dentistry in the National Health Service (SNS) has made it difficult to hire and retain dentists in health care centres," the association lamented in a statement, following data released by Eurostat on dental care in the European Union (EU).

APOMED highlighted that, according to the EU statistics office, more than 15% of Portuguese people are unable to go to the dentist for financial reasons, a percentage that rises to 32.5% for people at risk of poverty.

According to Eurostat, in 2024, 6.3% of people aged 16 or older in the EU who needed dental care reported being unable to receive it due to financial reasons and long waiting lists.

These data reveal the "harsh reality" of Portugal, which "remains among the European countries where it is most difficult to access dental care," lamented the association, which states that "it is urgent to boost fully equipped offices in health centres."

According to APOMED, ​​which highlighted the impact that exclusion from oral health has on the perpetuation of poverty and inequality, there are approximately 70 equipped and installed offices in primary health care under the SUS (Unified Health System), which could produce approximately 155,000 consultations per year.

The government's program foresees the implementation of the health program over four years, including expanding the scope and coverage of the dental check program and creating a prosthetic check for beneficiaries of the solidarity supplement for the elderly.

There are also plans to reinforce oral health clinics in primary care with more professionals, especially dentists.